Depression and Perception in Adolescents
Adolescents' perception of their physical characteristics varies greatly.
The rate of adolescents experiencing depressive disorders ranges from 15% to 20%. Up until the age of 15, girls experience depression at twice the rate of boys. Reasons for this gender difference include girls tending to ruminate more and magnify issues when depressed, girls having a more negative body image than boys, girls encountering more discrimination than boys (cultural expectations), and puberty starting earlier in girls.
Friendship often provides social support.
So, why are thoughts about physical characteristics common during adolescence? Because there are many changes during this period. They did not have such concerns in the previous period. But now, for the first time in this phase of their lives, the feeling of being found attractive by the opposite sex emerges. Another reason for depression in adolescents is rejection by the opposite sex. Furthermore, certain family types increase the risk of adolescents falling into depression. These family types include parents with depression, emotionally unavailable parents, parents who argue frequently in their marriage, and parents with financial problems. Insufficient peer relationships also increase the likelihood of adolescents becoming depressed. Not having a "best friend" with whom the adolescent can share secrets, having limited communication with friends, and having attempts at friendship rejected by peers unfortunately increase the tendency towards depression in adolescents. However, there is also this reality: bad company leads astray. For example, a study revealed that young adolescents with depressed friends have a higher rate of depression than young adolescents who do not have friends.
